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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 3: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors shoots against Kevin Seraphin #13 of the Washington Wizards during the game at the Verizon Center on January 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) Photo: (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Atlantic Division-leading Toronto improved to 16-15, the first time since January 2010 its winning percentage has been above .500 at least 30 games into a season.

Patrick Patterson scored Toronto’s last 11 points of the third quarter, when the Raptors outscored the Wizards 36-16 to blow open a game that was tied with less than a minute left in the first half. Patterson finished with 18 points.

Wall, who scored a season-high 37 at Toronto on Nov. 22, was limited to 11 points and six assists Friday. He’d scored at least 20 in eight straight games.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 3: Jonas Valanciunas #17 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Marcin Gortat #4 of the Washington Wizards during the game at the Verizon Center on January 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft had zero assists in the second half.

Nene, being used as a reserve lately, led the Wizards with 15 points. They’ve lost five of their past six home games.

The Raptors have won nine of 11 games overall since Dec. 13, when most of the players acquired from the Kings in the deal that shipped Rudy Gay to Sacramento made their debuts with Toronto.

That group includes Patterson, along with Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons and Chuck Hayes.

Washington came in on a five-game winning streak against Eastern Conference opponents but had all sorts of problems on offence against Toronto and wound up making only 41.5 per cent of its field-goal attempts — a hard-to-believe 18.8 per cent in the third quarter. The Raptors hit 50.6 per cent for the game.

Washington committed three turnovers in the opening 2 1/2 minutes of the third quarter, while Toronto started the half on a 15-4 run to go ahead 63-49, essentially ending the competitive portion of the game.

Local Input~ WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 3: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors passes the ball against Nene #42 and Otto Porter #22 of the Washington Wizards during the game at the Verizon Center on January 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Wizards also were sloppy as can be at the game’s outset, with Wall missing a wild 3-point attempt off the glass, leading to a shot-clock violation; Marcin Gortat tossing a pass over everyone’s heads and out of bounds; that duo failing to connect on a simple inbounds play.

Toronto, meanwhile, made 10 of its first 15 shots, compiling nine assists in that span.

The visitors never trailed in the first half and led by as many as 10 points, at 29-19 early in the second quarter, but the Wizards chipped away and pulled even at 45 on Trevor Ariza’s 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go. Lowry answered with a 3 at the other end to put Toronto up 48-45 at halftime.